Federal investment in Canadian conservation cause for celebration

Canada’s announcement of $1.3 billion in funding for conservation over the next five years in today’s 2018 federal budget provides direction and financial support for the future management of our nation’s protected areas and is cause for celebration according to Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y).

Under Pathway to Canada Target 1, the country has committed to an international goal of conserving at least 17 per cent of terrestrial areas and inland water through networks of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures by 2020. Currently Canada protects 10.6 per cent of land and inland waters.

While the funding is an important step, Y2Y points to a need for continued commitment and investment of time from the federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments to meet and exceed this goal.

“This type of vision shows the government is serious about protecting nature on the scale it needs to thrive,” says Aerin Jacob, Y2Y’s conservation scientist.

“Today's announcement is positive. Now the hard work lies ahead since we need different conservation approaches in different parts of Canada. This includes carefully planning where the new protected areas should be, based on intact wilderness, connectivity, species at risk and more,” says Jacob.

“This is a great day for Canada. Canadians love nature and this historic investment in preserving the other living things that share this beautiful country with us demonstrates exactly the kind of strong federal leadership we need to protect what we love,” says Harvey Locke, co-founder of Nature Needs Half and Y2Y.

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In the United States, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative is a 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organization, IRS #81-0535303. In Canada, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative Foundation is a registered 149(1)(f) charity, #86430 1841 RR0001.